Weekend Update

As another lovely weekend comes to a close here in the Duchy, it seems time for a bit of reflection. 

It was rather nice to get out and about yesterday even if that meant missing the weekly VWC meeting and not getting up to Luzerne County to roll dice and push lead. It was also the Del-Val Gamers' Game Day and I chose not to go there either. 

Instead, Sandy and I went to Baldwin's Book Barn in Chester County. Baldwin's is built into an old dairy barn that was constructed in 1822. It's now a five-story, so to speak, bookstore with over 300,000 old, rare, and contemporary books for sale. It's amazing. 

Of course, I found something...

After visiting Baldwin's, we headed off to Skippack Village to visit a specialty cheese shop and have lunch. There were two cheeses we were especially looking for, more Norwegian brown cheese and some taleggio cheese, which is often called the Italian brie. Delicious stuff.  

Today, after doing some of my schoolwork, I found myself with a half an hour to kill before a Zoom call, so I thought I would pop onto ChatGPT (we have been talking a great deal about AI in my one Army class) and decided to ask for a background for a fictional English Civil War campaign in a fictional county. I was prompted to do this after visiting one of my usual blog haunts and reading several of the owner's posts about the English Civil War. 

I liked how he based his figures, one large 4-inch by 3-inch base for a unit of infantry or cavalry. Anyway, it made me think and then I got out another Abandoned Project from the Pile of Shame....

After noodling around with some of the figures, I decided to pop down to the local Home Depot to get a broom for suitable pikes, since they are bendy and less prone to breakage and wounding than metal pikes. 

Hmmm.....maybe if I can find another loose figure, 10 foot to a base, make one of the pikemen into a standard bearer... Hmmm....

Well, I think there might be another project to clean up and I think I have found the motivation to do so...wasn't there a Pike and Shot variant of The Portable Wargame? Why, yes, indeed, there was....

More anon. 

More Franco-Prussian War French

As my course winds down, I've been coming to the end of the remounting process for my job lot of French. All the figures have now been removed from their original bases and are in various stages of repair and repainting. 

Today, I managed to finish two unit of French Sailors, Falcon Miniatures, and two units of Chasseurs a' Cheval, which are old Minifigs. 

The cavalry were easy, just a quick rebase. Six figures on two bases. 

Two bases, each counting as one Regiment for V&B. Or two units for TPW/AGW

The sailors required much more work. They were essentially painted black with just the flesh and some muskets painted. The Falcon Miniatures figures do not have the sheepskin jerkin, rather they wear just the tunic and have minimal equipment. 

I could have found a couple of officer figures but decided instead to let the matelots stay under their own leadership. I'm sure they can shift for themselves. 

So far, I've a fairly good-sized force that needs a lot of bases painted green. I suppose that will be the task for the weekend, when not engrossed in study. I did break out the Big Bag of Prussian Lead to see what I need to do to get a start on The Other Side. 

More anon. 

The Bots of September

Not so much a new sci-fi novel, as an observation about the number pf "hits" that the blog has been recording recently. 

I was visiting another favourite hobby blog of mine and the owner was mentioning this same trend. To be fair it was not something I had been thinking about, but I noticed that after my recent posts about DDay Ohio, the number had increased. Way, way, wayyyyyy more hits than normal. 

Either one of two things, first, Spam Bots like my toy soldiers and other folderol. Or two, Big Brother has suddenly realized I am a threat and "they" are sizing up my undoubtedly secret plans to overthrow Fearless Leader with toy soldiers whilst wearing wool clothing. 

Or not. And it's all in my head. 

But I do appreciate anyone who pops by for a visit. Bot or not. 

Much progress has been made on the Franco-Prussian war horde of French. And there is the possibility of a trek up to the wilds of Luzerne County this weekend for a game. 

I'll post pictures of the one, for certain, and the other, if I can attend. 

Meanwhile....

A new naval period has generated some interest based on the course I am currently attending. And there might be the chance of a few ships being bought for a small game...oh, that David Manley fellow is SUCH an evil genius....

Weekend Update

As the summer turns into the autumn here in the Duchy, thoughts of Winter Quarters and projects uncompleted start to run amok. 

Before OttoCon, I was able to purchase a rather good-sized collection of....roughly...painted figures for the Franco-Prussian War. Far more artillery than I would ever need and plenty of Crapauds, even though many of them...almost all of them really, needed a touch up. 

The last few days I've been able to get a start on them, half-hour here, half-hour there, in between my course and over lunch and so on. 

Row upon row of men and guns being sorted...terrible work, really...but someone must do it...

As the figures were glued on wooden bases, I had to soak them first, then scrape, then go from there. 

A good many figures are my favourite old Falcon Miniatures, made by my late friend Jim Parcella. I love these pumpkin-headed lumps. Easy to paint. 

Three reconditioned battalions (or maybe regiments..) and two stands of Mitrailleuse 

The goal is to use Volley & Bayonet, with each stand as a battalion or a regiment, depending on how big of a battle I want to fight. But being just slightly clever, I also have 12 figures per infantry base, the same number you need for Howard Whitehouse's A Gentleman's War rules. And with a stand being a "unit", I can also play The Portable Wargame with them as well. 

Once I've got these little fellas all set, I'll have to make up an inventory to see what's lacking (truth be told, not much, I put four more battalions from the Lead Pile of Shame on painting sticks, with many more to spare) and fill in those holes. I've got a sizeable bag o' lead for the Prussians that I can follow up with. 

Maybe Christmas will be spent in the Ruhr Valley... 

Allez vouz! 

The First of September Post

It's a re-enactor thing. For twenty plus years I was a member of the 1st New Jersey Regiment (The Jersey Blues) of the Continental Line. There is a running joke about this fife and drum song being played every September 1st in this house. Couldn't pass it by without posting this. 

A tip of the cocked hat (and shako, too) to my good friend, fellow wargamer, and fellow retired re-enactor, Mark N. of My Brave Fusiliers blog, that I also support. 

Mark served for many, many years at Minuteman National Park as a ranger in the NPS. He has a wealth of information about the AWI period and is also an all-around great guy. Do please give his blog a visit. I have it linked to mine. 

And now, back to reading about Columbus and Da Gama for graduate classes. 

Weekend Update - Summer's End

Well, today is the last day of August, which means, in my mind anyway, the end of Summer. I know, I know, the whole "Autumnal Equinox" thing hasn't hit yet... but to my mind, the last day of August is the end of Summer. 

The pastoral view of the garden shall soon be replaced by all those green things turning colour and falling down waiting for me to pick them up.....selfish bastards.....

Yesterday, Herself and I went to Peddler's Village in Lahaska, PA to window shop and otherwise, get out of the house and into the open air. Last week, between graduate school and the Army course I am attending virtually, I think I spent about 60 hours on the computer. 

Needless to say, the only thing hobby related I did was to order some figures for my 25mm Irish War of Independance project and rant about the end of the "De Minimus" customs exception. 

Today I managed to watch my Red Sox take one from the Pie Rats of Pittsburgh and got more classwork done for WOILE. I still have some discussion forum posts to finish, but that can wait for a bit. 

Relaxing outside, I had one of the most interesting beverages, a real cane sugar orange soda made by a small batch maker in Georgia, I think. 

And just perfect for celebrating Labor Day weekend! 

I hear they are Russian to get in line for this!!!

Kindly provided by my friend Tracy at OttoCon. He brings a case or two every year and last year I asked him to bring an extra case for me. I don't drink it very often, as it is a regular sugary soda, but it's very refreshing when cold. 

And so it was today. 

Back to the discussion forum. Maybe I can get a game in tomorrow, since for the Army it's a DONSA, so we don't have class. 

More From DDay Ohio 2025

My friend Francois falls in with us as a medic, but does not do the landings. The good part of that is he does a wonderful job taking pictures and he was also a great partner in volunteering to cook with me for the section. These pictures are all from Francois's camera. He also took some very nice short videos that I need to download and post as well. 

Ready to go and liberate France! 

After the landing, reorganizing for a safety check and the march back to camp

Mick and Francois sharing a beverage

Bayonet practice. Yes, sometimes, we really do practice stuff and things...

Saturday night, le souper was tinned corned beef and cabbage. Pretty good if I do say so myself. 

I'll try to get more pictures sorted and put up soon. I'd like to get some of Francois' videos up as well, since he's got a couple of dandy shots of Mick piping us to and from the landing. 

More anon.